POSTGAME NOTES: New look, same old nemesis for Lincecum; Pagan leads deep lineup to another comeback

Goldschmidt Happens. That’s how they put it around here, where Paul Goldschmidt is the face of the franchise. It happens quite a bit when he’s facing Tim Lincecum.

The numbers coming into Thursday’s game were jarring: 10 hits in 20 at-bats, five of them homers. And then Goldschmidt stepped to the plate against the new, down-in-the-zone-throwing, mustache-wearing Lincecum and he had the same old result. A homer, his sixth in 21 at-bats against Lincecum. He later hit a single, only to be cut down when he foolishly tried to take second against Hunter Pence.

So … Goldschmidt Happens, eh?

“Yeah,” Lincecum said. “You tell me …”

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What’s the answer?

“I’m going to start throwing underhanded to him or something,” Lincecum said. “It’s a game of adjustments and he consistently makes them to me. I need to make them.”

Goldschmidt and Goldschmidt Jr. (Mark Trumbo) ruined Lincecum’s day, hitting two deep homers that saddled the right-hander with four earned runs in six innings. But he didn’t take the loss, and he didn’t take blame in the manager’s office.

“I thought he threw the ball well. He’s a strike away from having a quality start, a real strong start,” Bochy said of Lincecum, who struck out seven and walked none. “Considering everything that happened to him this week, getting hit in the leg and getting sick, I thought it was a real nice effort.”

It was a week Lincecum would rather forget, from the liner to the food poisoning to the Goldschmidting. But he won’t forget the feeling he occasionally had.

“For the most part, I pitched down in the zone,” Lincecum said. “Most my pitches were for strikes. I’m not searching for ‘it’ right now. I’ve got to the point where I’ve put my body in the right position to do what it wants to do.”

Now, he just needs to figure out this Goldschmidt thing …

“I want to get him out,” Lincecum said.

In this division, he’ll get plenty of opportunities.

— The game story hits on everything else and one main theme that I mentioned earlier: This team, if healthy, is just way, way deeper. Angel Pagan is a difference-maker when he’s on the field …

Angel Pagan: go-ahead HR for Giants. SInce start of 2012, when Pagan plays, Giants are 128-99. When he doesn't, they are 44-56.

… Brandon Belt looks headed for an All-Star Game and Michael Morse, well, he’s no TorresFrancoeurTanaka. It’s way early, but even guys like Brandon Hicks and Ehire Adrianza look like they’ll provide an upgrade over the 2013 stand-ins. And Hector Sanchez, he’s a new man.

“He’ll make (my job) a lot easier,” Bochy said. “You’ve got to like his at-bats from both sides. He gives you good at-bats.”

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Sanchez was replaced by pinch-runner Juan Perez, one of four bench players to score a run — the first time the Giants have done that since 2009. Perez is another toy for Bochy, who likes to mix and match, double-switch and pinch-run. This was a classic Bochy game as he used all five bench players before the end of the eighth and nearly used three relievers in the ninth (he didn’t want to extend Sergio Romo). He loves those games, and against some of the other managers in this division and league, Bochy will have the upper hand more often than not as long as he has a full roster to play with.

— David Huff is a really good athlete, but he brain-locked as Gerardo Parra ran down to first in the seventh. Bochy said Huff was upset with himself, probably in part because Parra got a terrible start down the line. That’ll happen when you hit yourself in the face.

— Belt didn’t homer this spring. So of course he has three in the first four games of the season. Only Barry Bonds, Willie Mays and Kevin Mitchell have done that for the Giants.

“I said coming into the season that I’m looking to hit 74 homers,” he joked. “I’m looking to get to 100 now.”

In all seriousness, Belt said he sat down last Sunday, thought about the poor swings he had late in the spring and worked on getting back to the basics and staying balanced. Through four games, that approach has him leading the major leagues in homers.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I’m looking for all the home run records. I guess that’s pretty awesome. Fortunately my swing is in home run mode right now.”

— Not bad, Richmond. Not bad at all.

Rotation for @gosquirrels is: Blach, Blackburn, Mejia, Crick, Marte, Snodgrass. That means all 4 top 10 prospects will make AA debut in NB.

Young Christian Arroyo (won’t be 19 until June) has hit a triple and scored a run. Meanwhile, as we move towards an All-Brandon infield, Augusta 3B Brandon Bednar is 2-2 with a stolen base so far. Interestingly, Ryder Jones is playing SS and Arroyo is playing 2B.

I missed Machi, but I thought Casilla looked great. 2012 version of Casilla. I like that version.

Michael Scott

You should leave Torres out of your little trifecta, Alex. He gave it his all despite injury. Bad stuff, Pav. Yungo doesn’t deserve being lumped in with those other two. And when Morse becomes a vital member of a World Series winner and a Willie Mac winner, just maybe he can be compared to Torres.

Wasn’t he ONLY referring to 2013?
Alex has always been a HUGE Andres Torres fan!?!

Bapah

Now wasn’t that fun? I don’t like the Snakes much. It’s a different distaste than I have for LA, but I really (really) don’t like the diamondbacks. This was a good series. It was even better than I hoped or expected (which was a split). Let’s have a drink to that.

Yeah, the Snakes have problems. The bats looked better than I thought, but their bullpen is awful. The rotation is better than the bullpen, but it may not be good enough.

StevenAlanMitchell

Tell Bapah to go to bed cuz S.A.M. Is here to do his thing. Looks like the the Hunter Pence Watch got to 0-13. Moose must have melted his igloo when he finally got that hit.

Michael Scott

He was great in 2009 as well. And his 2010 makes him a good Giant for every day of his life. Pav made a rare but serious error lumping him in with Francoeur and Tanaka. And Morse hasn’t even begun to deserve to being in the same league as Torres as a contributor to the Giants. To think I defended your sorry self.

StevenAlanMitchell

Belt homer overshadows he is 1 for his last 12.

StevenAlanMitchell

Brandon Belt Home run Record Watch:
Bonds: 73
Belt on pace for 122

channelclemente

You take the good with the bad, and never sheath your sword.

StevenAlanMitchell

Brandon Belt Strikeout Record Watch:
Mark Reynolds: 223

Belt on pace for 243

channelclemente

He’s a registered member of the glass navel society. This is the fellow from the A’s blog you used to joust with, straw hat man.

Anti-Lasorda

They’re called D-bags for a reason.

Anti-Lasorda

If he would have just used the Eugenio Velez bomb instead….

StevenAlanMitchell

I think Alex is specifically talking about 2013 Torres, when lumping in with the trifecta.

Michael Scott

I think you left your hole untended and Baldy crawled in. You’ll enjoy each other.

Michael Scott

I know what he was saying but you still never lump him in with those guys. Pav was wrong to do it. Period. Even worse was touting Morse after 3 whole frigging hits. Now go back to your hole,Baldy is waiting.

standardstarboard

Way to go CC! I have been looking for more blues since I started listening to Joe Bonamassa this past year. Great lead. Going straight to iTunes. THX.

He still should never have lumped him in with those two. He was wrong to do it.

StevenAlanMitchell

Nope. I got a cardboard box and a shopping cart.

Michael Scott

I have no frigging idea what you’re talking about.

standardstarboard

Man, where have I been? Moore has been around for a while. A great day…great game by the Gmen, new wines to try, and new music…Life is good:)

Foothills Ryan

I saw Joe twice the past couple of years, plus multiple times on PBS. Yeah, he shreds. The funny thing is, the last time I saw him he reminded me a bit of Gary Moore; shredders who like to play the blues. It has been said that Moore’s style is more tasteful. YMMV.

ps-Joe’s acoustic sets may be better than the electric

Foothills Ryan

Folks have been lamenting this and that about the Dbacks. Gibby does this. Towers does that. Well, it seems they’ve got bigger fish to fry. The Giants come to town in the opening series and they have that many empty seats? For shame. Coaching and management isn’t the problem. Something trickling down from Denmark.

channelclemente

Remember the guy from the A’s blog who had the straw hat chapeau image who used to raid the Giants bog. I forget the one of many avatars he used. This fellow is a carbon copy of his schtick.

Foothills Ryan

Minor League Report:…

Just kidding. And teasing VGF’s inaugural report. Should be a goodie. Wouldn’t want to jump the gun and spoil the fun.

ClutchUp

* No walks today by 55 – huge improvement.

* Three Slice Colon got to bat today

Michael Scott

I couldn’t care less.

Foothills Ryan

Great park to hit in. 8 hits and 2 HRs can be taken with some salt. A very good day indeed.

Bapah

When I think about it, it isn’t the players that I have trouble with. I don’t like Gibby, at all, and I’m really sick of the organization, especially the GM. The home plate boxes, etc. But it’s OK, because the reasons I don’t like the club are the same reasons they won’t be successful. I really would like to go there and make a fuss behind home plate in the boxes. You know Police, Tac Squad, TV, reporters, the whole thing. Don’t think I’ll muster much support for that adventure, though.

BALDHEADSLIK1

That’s actually pretty damn funny

Michael Scott

Lefty gave a report already.

sevensuns

play ball !

standardstarboard

Yeah, I agree about Joe`s acoustic play. Both Joe and Gary Moore have some chops…they can carry a tune. Joe`s concert at Prince Albert Hall is a favorite of mine…when I first heard him on PBS.

DrLefty

Very preliminary & in progress–just a few innings into the East Coast games. Still plenty more to talk about.

DrLefty

Especially when he had others to choose from–Cole Gillespie, Roger Kieschnick, Francisco Peguero…yep, it was a parade of awful out there without picking on 36-year-old 2010 hero Torres.

DrLefty

I remember him being a bit of a wild thing when we first got him in 2010. He’s a great example of the Righetti/Gardner effect. The A’s had dumped him and his career was nowhere. Now here he is with two rings and a $15 mil. contract.

I said this back when they signed Affledt and Casilla to theiir current deals: If I were a middling reliever, I’d be bugging my agent to get me on the Giants.

standardstarboard

I am okay with the pitching over the first few games. Arizona is a tough place to pitch because of the dry air…a lot like Colorado. That said, one thing that sticks out is the inability of a couple of pitchers to hold runners on base. Timmy is Timmy. But JC Gutierrez apparently does not have a slide step. If he doesn`t fix that, he is not long for the bigs…HIs stuff is good, but not that good. Make room for Hembree and/or Law.

Michael Scott

He’ll probably go down when Affeldt returns. But you never know.

Michael Scott

I thought your report was quite good. I’m not sure of what the rationale is of not starting with our best prospect but I’m sure we’ll hear about it.

Doughnut

Can the umpires, on their own, initiate a replay at any time? Even if its before the 7th inning are the umpires allowed to ask for a replay if the team doesn’t have a challenge or doesn’t ask for one?

Foothills Ryan

Dry air is not the problem. Humid air has less resistance than dry air.

Somehow I don’t think Tim is going to develop into a straightforward “crappy-contact” pitcher. Perhaps a hybrid pitcher.

NoShame09

So glad to see Belt come out strong. And if I could take a cheap shot, Tim didn’t look so cool with that mustache when he spun around and watched Goldschmidst’s bomb splash into the “James Brown” hot tub.

Timmy is going to be in trouble if he can’t figure things out quick. He’s my favorite giant, but his pitching DNA is encoded with “reach back, and throw it by them” he doesn’t have that capability anymore topping out at 90 mph. If we hadn’t traded away wheeler for “I love my hair gel” Beltran I have the feeling he would be in the pen.

DrLefty

Yes–in fact Crick isn’t starting until the fourth game for Richmond, and I would have thought Escobar would get the first start for Fresno. I suppose it doesn’t matter though.

Looks like a nice outing for Kickham and a good night for Susac. Not so much for Kontos. His line tonight doesn’t scream “Call me up first!” I wonder what’s going to happen with him. A lot of competition now with Hembree and Dunning also in Fresno and on the 40 and other good relief prospects in AA, especially Law.

standardstarboard

I should have stated air density rather than dry air as having an effect on baseball traveling through air. “The distance a ball travels is inversely related the air density. If air density gets smaller, the drag force gets smaller, this allows the ball to go farther. Air density is inversely related to altitude, temperature and humidity, and is directly related to barometric air pressure.Therefore, if all collision parameters (e.g. pitch speed, bat speed, collision point, etc.) are equal, a potential home run will travel the farthest in Denver and the shortest in San Francisco.” According to the article, the pitched ball also has more movement in less dense environs. “A ten-percent decrease in air density from 1.1 to 1.0 increases the speed of the curveball by one percent and reduces its drop by nine percent.” Hence more ball movement in humid environs, because of decreased density of air. Quotations were taken from an interesting study. I am still reading on pitched baseballs. Here is the link to the study.
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.149.6462…‎

Cached

standardstarboard

Sorry about the long post. The article was by International Journal of Sports Science and Engineering. Vol. 03 (2009) No. 02, pp. 109-128

YogiBarrister

Bochy had a good game today. A couple of key pinch hits and bringing back Casilla to start the ninth. With a three run lead, there was no reason to call on Romo, even if it was a save situation.
If there’s a possibility of Scuturo coming back, Arias shouldn’t start at second. He’s not very good there and they will need to determine what to do with Hicks or Adrianza.
Nice to see Morse hitting, it would be even better if Perez gets as hot as he was in ST. The outfield defense is significantly improved when he’s playing and Morse would give them a HR threat off the bench. Speaking of which, the reserves, with or without Morse are looking good, so is the bullpen. Bochy has a quality set of tools on his work bench.

tomkovic

A ball will have greater forward velocity but less curve or side motion in less dense air due to reduced dynamic pressure to interact with the spin.

Dry air is more dense but a dry baseball rebounds faster off a bat than a humid one hence the Denver humidors.

SurfCity

More likely he’d still be starting and Vogey would not have been signed. But the if-only-we-still-had-Wheeler talk is getting pretty long in the tooth.

standardstarboard

Meaning a pitched ball will curve more in humid environs. My sense from reading the study was that the dry baseball was less a factor than barometric pressure.

pacman68

If Scoots comes back healthy. I really love this lineup. But where the hell do you put Belt. You have to leave him at the top. I really want Scoots back even if he just comes off the bench to hit.

pacman68

Wheeler looked terrible today and threw like 116 pitches in 5 innings. I was on the Wheeler train as well. But the dude hasn’t shown much yet.

pacman68

Timmy pitched well today. Arizona is a freaking band box. I think the Stache is going to fair well at home. NO WALKS!!

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standardstarboard

Try Googling

“Effects of Altitude and Atmospheric Conditions on the Flight of a Baseball” It should be the first mentioned in pdf format.

Atlas

Man, if we only still had Nate, then… wait. Then what?

dgg

It wasn’t just no walks. Tim threw 72 percent strikes.

Foothills Ryan

VeeeeeeeeeVaaa Las Vegas ! The inaugural report of 2014: chock full of details and nuts as always. Thank you.

I’d like to give Chris Stratton the Giants MiLB performance of the day. He’s the one we want to see come of the chute well. And he ‘Beat LA’ no less. Corey Seager was in the Cucamonga lineup. Great outing ‘Strat’.

The Grizzlies roster is packed. They have an impressive lineup. I see that Jarret Parker is back in AA. So is Tyler Graham. Villalona in AA makes sense to me.

Who’s this Bradley cat? Just learned of Ray Black recently. Good start in the system for Chase Johnson as well (last years 3rd rounder?).

Foothills Ryan

Giants may regret not inking an extension with Brandon Belt in the offseason. The Indians just extended MVP caliber 2nd baseman Jason Kipnis to a 6 year/ 52.5 mil deal. Kipnis was not a Super 2. 6/50 may have been an appropriate ball park for a Belt extension. The Giants may still have the opportunity to work on an extension this season. But I doubt they’ll get serious before the winter. And Belt’s ‘Homeric’ efforts are apt to give him a lot of leverage.

DrLefty

I was thinking the same thing, but I’m guessing nothing happens there until they figure out what, if anything, they’re doing about Sandoval.

On the opposite note, I was also wondering if Chase Headley’s going to regret not cashing in on his big 2012 with an extension when he had the chance(s). He wasn’t all that before the second half of 2012, didn’t have a great 2013, and isn’t off to a hot start (.083) this year (very early yet). He’s in a premium position and a switch-hitter, but still…

DrLefty

In the SJ game, Galindo & Moreno also had SBs…that looks to be a team with a lot of speed.

DrLefty

Not so good for George Kontos. Didn’t help that the guy who relieved him promptly served up a grand slam with three of Georgie’s runners on.

Hmmm. Sounds familiar. #karma #Arod

Michael Scott

We got Pence for Nate. We got a guy who Sabean knew we couldn’t re-sign in exchange for Wheeler. No comparison.

Doughnut

He didn’t really look that bad. I watched most of the game, it was on mlb tv. He definitely wastes too many pitches per hitter but his stuff is sharp. Nationals are good. I would call it a average start but the potential for great things is there.

Doughnut

I think the best way to go with Belt is to just wait it out. If it ends up costing you more dollars at the end of the day then that means Belt is doing damage and you pay him. It also means you have gotten great production and a key piece to the puzzle is in place. I don’t think he wants to be anywhere else anyways.
I don’t like the idea of giving him career changing money so early on. Make him earn and if/when he does pay the man his money. It might cost 10 mill over 5 years more (or more) but if that is the case then that means this team has a 1b that fills a spot that basically completes this lineup, to go along with Buster, Pence, and Pablo hopefully.
If you pay him too soon he could get complacent or it could just be a small sample. I would wait it out just because I would be concerned the results may not be as good as if he were fighting for a better contract with every day he plays.

2holehitting

Only 1 game but Timmys problem the past few years were walks, the seeing eye week contact and the big fly. The walks were down as the pitch count but the rest needs improvement.

2holehitting

That makes no sense a run int the third is the same as a run in the 7th. Even in football all scoring plays are automatically reviewed

Bapah

You see an entirely different player than I do.

Panda Puffs are Delicious

Awesome work as always VGF

Bapah

That is only if BCraw doesn’t start.

Doughnut

My comment was not just about what kind of player he will be but the financial sense it makes. If he costs a lot of money after arbitration is done then that is a great thing and probably means this team has had real success.

Its just not a large enough sample in my mind to justify paying that kind of money for that many years. I am not convinced yet. I want to see consistency first. I have seen his swing when its good and also when its bad. He could easily go in a slump and get lost. I think its more likely he turns out to be a solid mlb player. I like his chances, and I think he will be good i just think it makes more sense to pay him after he has proven it or not proven it.

Bapah

Like I said, “You see an entirely different player than I do.”

” I am not convinced yet. I want to see consistency first. I have seen his swing when its good and also when its bad. He could easily go in a slump and get lost.”

You’ll see.

Doughnut

I would be very happen to see it. Btw i think he is a solid MLB first basemen but i don’t think he is one of the better ones in the league, although he is playing like it right now.
What kind of player do you think he is? A 30/100 guy?

Doughnut

I think he has that kind of upside but i would like to see it for a long period of time

stickman

Your hybrid concept is intriguing. We saw something of that in the ’12 Playoffs and W.S. He’s still on a learning curve to strongly establish ‘crappy contact’. He has three or four effective pitches. The exception is his heater which has gone south for the duration.

Adjustments need be and are being made as Timmy determines his new direction. It’s virtually a pioneering venture so far as the vast majority of hurlers go. The number of bad or poor pitches #55 made yesterday were minimal. In several different venues the dingers by Goldschmidt and Trumbo may not have happened.

From single game only data i do like Timmy’s trajectory as he redefines his approach. The fact that he gave up zero walks blares out like a bright red light to NL batters. They will have to hit the Freak.

Bapah

I’m more of a coach than a stats guy. I like the way he plays. He moves well, has a great arm and fields well. He has good speed for a big guy. He’s no Keith Hernandez, but could be. He’s a keeper.

He’ll be a “You can pay me now or pay me later” type guy. Pay him now.

stickman

With Hector slimmed down and contributing big in The Show, Fresno’s lineup is not likely to get stouter.

Bapah

Hybrid Vigor

stickman

Pitching matchups in LaLaLand look like two mismatches and a potential rubber game. You never know for sure, cause its baseball, but i would not be too surprised if the oddsmakers see it pretty close to that projection.

Ken E

Agree entirely, it’s about getting ahead of the curve on these extensions, just ask the Rays about them, it’s kept them as a WS contender for going on 6 years now (that Archer extension was yet another brilliant one for them). Fortunately the Giants have a LOT more money than the Rays so they can afford to wait and pay more but I’ve seen enough with Belt that I’m convinced. He may not be 30/100 but he’s going to be an excellent 1B. Even when he was “slumping” his OBP is in the .340-350 range. Now that he’s essentially “arrived” and is the unquestioned everyday 1B he is confident and I think he’s a guy that will consistently have a .365+ OBP and to go along with that defense that is a hell of a player.

Bapah

Oh, one more thing. He’s smart (some may disagree), but he’s very baseball smart. Goofy guys can be smart too. He’s just a kid and although he likes Olive Garden, his tastes may change (God, let’s hope so).

NoShame09

Agreed, but it was the only name I could really drop to make my meaningless point. And plus I just dislike Beltran so much any chance I get to say something negative about him, I take.

NoShame09

I didn’t realize he started (yesterday). And like I said to surf, it was the only name that really came to mind to make my dumb point. I am officially retiring wheeler from my discussions.

NoShame09

Is it possible he “accidentally” struck out 7? He pitches using his Freudian “Id”.

Doughnut

I am not a big stats guy either and i also really like his upside, the progression he has made and the direction he is going in.
But the worst thing that can happen if you wait is that he goes bonkers for the next three years, which would mean great things for the Giants, and you pay him a bigger contract. You could even pay him during his last arb. year.
I guess i just tend to think players are more motivated to play better when they are being paid based on their performance for that year. Also the Giants have an advantage w/ having him under team control. Might as well take advantage of it.

If we were the Rays i would agree. But i think the Giants are going to re-sign him no matter what. He is a great fit here and Larry Baer gets to sell giraffe hats to kids for years to come.

Bapah

I am having fun with some of the comments here, but for the last hour or so there has been a new item from Alex. Time to get with the program.

ClutchUp

Donut besides needing an avatar, where have you been?
“Belt will establish himmself in 2013 and break out in 2014″

Chuckle!

Doughnut

Hey Clutch,
I got consumed by a bunch of other stuff so I haven’t been up to date with the blog. Working on the avi. Leading the league in HRs is a good start to a break out year!